HOULTON, Maine — The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency has charged four southern Aroostook men with drug crimes after an extensive criminal investigation that included police officers from a number of area departments.

Darrell Crandall, MDEA division commander, announced Thursday afternoon that police had charged Ian Small, 20, and Reggie McGary, 32, both of Houlton, with aggravated trafficking in oxycodone, which is a Class A offense. Crandall said that the charge was aggravated because the two sold narcotics within 1,000 feet of a school.

They also charged Robert Rutty, 33, of Crystal and Houlton with trafficking in oxycodone, a Class B crime. Micah Ryan, 20, of Houlton was charged with trafficking in suboxone, a Class B crime.

The Class A crimes carry a minimum four year prison sentence and 30 year maximum, while the Class B crimes carry no minimum, but have a 10 year maximum.

Crandall said that all suspects have posted bail and will make initial appearances in Aroostook County Superior Court in the coming weeks.

According to Crandall, the investigation began earlier this summer following multiple tips to police. As part of the overall investigation, MDEA agents purchased drugs from all of the defendants, some of them on more than one occasion. Not all of the accused worked together.

“The diversion, abuse and sale of prescription narcotics remains a very serious problem throughout Maine,” Crandall said. “Accidental overdose deaths from the abuse of these drugs continue to outpace traffic fatalities and MDEA’s arrests for the criminal sale of these drugs outnumbers the arrests for the sale of all other drugs.”

Agents assigned to the investigation were on loan to MDEA from the Houlton Police Department, U.S. Border Patrol, Aroostook County Sheriff’s Office, Maine State Police and Presque Isle Police Department.

The Houlton Police Department also assisted MDEA with the investigation and arrests. The Aroostook County District Attorney’s Office will be handling the prosecution of these cases.

Information on drug crimes may be reported to MDEA at 800-452-6457, the MDEA website at www.maine.gov/dps/mdea or MDEA’s smartphone application for iPhone and Android at MyPD.